Tynecastle face Peebles for place in Alex Jack Cup final

NEIL McGLADE

Leith Athletic will discover this weekend who they will play in next month’s Alex Jack Cup final as Tynecastle and Peebles Rovers go head-to-head at Saughton Enclosure.

Gavin Reid’s strike beat Heriot-Watt University last Saturday to earn Leith’s spot in the first cup final of the season, the game scheduled for Sunday, October 15.

The second semi-final tomorrow sees East of Scotland League leaders Tynie take on a Peebles team that has gathered nine points from their first five league fixtures and are playing well. However, Stevie Vinter’s men are strong favourites to progress having hit the goal trail recently with a whopping 38 from their past six outings – youngsters Kern Hutchison and Dean Crabbe, in particular, in red-hot form.

It’s back to league business tomorrow for Leith, who welcome bottom club Ormiston to Meadowbank 3G tomorrow. The visitors are in real disarray having lost all six league matches this season. Richie Weir’s men have only managed to score twice all season and are shipping goals at an alarming rate.

Following three consecutive league wins, Preston Athletic were brought back down to earth last weekend when they crashed to a 4-0 defeat at Kelty Hearts in the first round of the League Cup. However, with third-from-bottom Eyemouth United due at the Pennypit tomorrow, joint-managers Jack Lynch and Paul Riley will be confident of picking up all three points.

Meanwhile, Heriot-Watt, who were top of the table just a couple of weeks ago, entertain an improving Burntisland Shipyard side at Oriam.

Banji Koya’s students have lost their early-season momentum having crashed to three straight defeats and are now without a win since the 4-1 victory over Tweedmouth Rangers at the beginning of the month.

Meanwhile, fresh from their William Hill Scottish Cup heroics, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale pay Old Shielfield Park a visit where home side Tweedmouth await.